The Soul reached the ArenaBowl for the second consecutive season, having lost to the Rattlers in ArenaBowl XXV. They began the 2013 season with a 4–4 record, but proceeded to win eight of their ten remaining regular season games to clinch their division again with a 12–6 record. In the conference semifinals, they defeated the Orlando Predators in a back-and-forth affair by a 59–55 score. In the conference championship, they faced the Jacksonville Sharks as they had in the previous season. Philadelphia won the game on the road 75–59 to earn their third ArenaBowl berth in franchise history.[4]

The Rattlers came into the game as defending champions, having defeated Philadelphia in ArenaBowl XXV. In 2013, the Rattlers finished the regular season with a 15–3 record, one win short of matching a franchise record. With home field advantage in the playoffs, they defeated the San Jose SaberCats in the conference semifinals 59–49, and then the Spokane Shock in the conference championship 65–57. Arizona made their eighth ArenaBowl appearance, and it was also the third consecutive season that the Rattlers made it to the league championship.